


christmas tree

by never_bloom_again



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Tree, Fluff, Introspection, M/M, Putting Up The Tree
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:47:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27813268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/never_bloom_again/pseuds/never_bloom_again
Summary: aaron watches as spencer and jack put up the tree.
Relationships: (past), Aaron Hotchner/Haley Hotchner, Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid
Comments: 4
Kudos: 74





	christmas tree

Aaron looked on as Jack reached up to place the star on the top of the tree, from his perch on Spencer’s shoulders. The tree they stood in front of was messily and lopsidedly decorated, although that was par for the course when the primary person in charge of said decoration was six years old. It was nothing like the extravagant and perfectly decorated trees that Aaron had grown up with, something that he was grateful for. There was nothing homely, personal about a tree that no one could touch for fear of disrupting the placement of the ornaments. It was just cold, and cold was something that Aaron was done with, at least in his own home.

The tree that stood tall in front of them was imperfect, regardless of the manner in which it was decorated. He and Spencer had barely managed to get to the sale to buy one before it shut, and had been left with one of the less green, full trees, instead picking out a more rough looking tree, one that didn’t look anywhere near perfect, even in the soft light of the car park where the makeshift store had been set up.

It suited the little corner of the lounge where it lived, though, and it suited the family - none of them were perfect either, far from it, but they were still there, still doing what they had to, serving their purpose to the best of their abilities. The decorations matched them too, Aaron realised, the more he thought about it. None of the ornaments were particularly shiny anymore, or free of scratches, dings and dents, but they were still beautiful. That in particular reminded him of Spencer. He had been through so much, could easily have become… someone like Aaron, but no. He stayed kind and true to himself, and that was his own form of beauty. 

That was Spencer. The wonderful man, just metres away, who cared for Jack as though he was his own, who loved Aaron, no matter how much he messed up, or didn’t deserve it. Spencer, who he could barely believe wanted to be a part of his family, but was.

A soft smile washed over his face as he watched Spencer lift Jack off of his shoulders, placing him down on the ground, congratulating him on an awesome job getting the star, the finishing piece, on the tree. There were tears of joy sitting on his lashes, threatening to fall, but Aaron remained oblivious, lost in the perfection of the moment, and the disbelief that it was actually happening, that it wasn’t just a dream or a fairytale. He couldn’t believe that he really got to be so happy.

“Daddy! Look! I put the star on the tree!” 

Aaron’s perfect little bubble of thought was disrupted by Jack, although being there, in the moment, was arguably far better than just reflecting on it from afar.

“Good job buddy! Did Spencer help?”   
  


Jack gave a toothy grin. “Just a little bit!”

Laughing slightly at his son, Aaron turned to Spencer, pulling him into a side hug.

Spencer rested his head on Aaron’s shoulder. “You okay?” He asked, having noticed the glossiness of his partner’s eyes.

“Yeah, I just love you both so much.”

The smile he received in return was so wide and gorgeous that Aaron wished he could be like that more often - sweet and openly emotional. 

“I love you too, Aar, and we both know that Jack does.”

Even at the mention of his name, the young boy was too absorbed in ‘correcting’ the baubles that Spencer and Aaron had placed to turn around or pay the adults’ conversation any attention. Jack had the conviction for his role of someone with the most important task in the world, but nonetheless, he was smiling, in a way that not long ago, Aaron wasn’t sure that he would get to see again.

He wished Haley could see their boy so happy.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed this!! let me know


End file.
